The “policy” referred to an elderly couple’s long-term care insurance, which they had purchased over a decade ago. Even at that time, in their late 50s and early 60s, they knew health care costs for the aged could be exorbitant, and there was no accurate way … read on

Healthy aging

I don’t consider myself old, but we are all aging, aren’t we?

One of my personal irritations with our for-profit health care system—and the main reason I started this blog—is its predilection to market and sell screening tests and prescription medications of questionable value to the aging population.

A son’s anguish

Have you ever read the comic strip Dilbert?

Created by Scott Adams, it is a wonderfully humorous and satirical cartoon about a white-collared worker, Dilbert, who exists in a world of partitioned office cubicles and micromanaging bosses. It’s very funny.

Farewell to a beloved husband and father

Today I am in Idaho attending the memorial service of my father-in-law.

He passed away two weeks ago at the age of 85, after suffering for several years from declining health and increasing dementia. His wife of 59 years and all four of his children were at his bedside when he died.

Death is not pretty, but neither is childbirth. Both involve pain, … read on